Wholesale Fashion Jewelry & Accessories Blog

This is the 27^th year for Accessory Wholesale inc. business.  Sometimes we have to stop and ask, have we learned anything over the last quarter of a century in business?  Our business is fashion jewelry and accessories plus some really fun items like Mardi Gras and masks.  Those familiar with fashion know that it is cyclical.  Trends come and go, business build for years and then reverse for years in rollercoaster-like cycles. 

 How does small business survive that?  Our business as a wholesaler depends on the success of small retailers.  These are our customers.  Some small fashion businesses have found their space in the retail world and are doing very well, while many others may feel the walls closing in with competitions from major retailers as well as taxes, insurance, and everything else including days with problem customers. 

 Over the last 27 years, we haven’t come up with neat little formulas for guaranteed success, but we have noticed some tactics by successful retailers that seem to work.  This blog and the following two will hash out five ideas. 

 1) LOCATION

How many times have we heard the three most important things that make a business successful are location, location, and location?  Sounds simple enough, right?  That is until we try to pin down what is the right location.  Most areas have shopping destinations that can draw from 25 and more miles away.  This is often a mall like the Acadiana Mall in Lafayette, La. or the White Oaks Mall in Springfield, Ill. 

 These shopping destinations get plenty of traffic, but leases are through the roof.  Small business often feels it is giving all the profit to the property owner. I noticed something as a road salesman calling on small fashion businesses.  Many successful businesses were in smaller towns away from the shopping destination. They had desirable merchandise and were conveniently close to their customers.  Personal service accompanied by a high level of energy made shoppers feel special as well as energized to buy.  They were packed with customers when locals needed gifts for those special days like Valentines Day and Mothers Day. 

 Location and the price of the lease need to be weighed to determine whether sales volume is going to overcome the lease cost. 

 2) NICHE MARKETS IN JEWELRY & FASHION 

The Christmas shopping season is probably the time when small business feels major retailers cutting into their sales more than any other time of the year.  Niche markets insulate small business from the onslaught.  Most niche markets are an area where the majors simply don’t go. 

 FLEUR-DE-LIS JEWELRY AND ACCESSORIES

A few examples will make the point.  Since Hurricane Katrina in Louisiana, especially in New Orleans, fleur-de-lis jewelry and accessories have been extremely popular.  It is the symbol of the City as well as on the Acadiana flag.  Louisiana has rallied around this emblem since the devastation of the Hurricane and it has been in hot demand by the locals.  But the only place to find a nice selection is small business.  This is a niche market that small business owns. 

  CAPITALIZING ON LOCAL SCHOOL THEMES

Think about sports.  Local high schools and colleges have a following of avid fans.  This is a super niche market, especially high schools.  Of course manufacturers are not going to produce lines of merchandise for individual high schools, but that is where the ingenuity of small business comes in. 

 If this were a recipe, school colors and school mascots would be the main ingredients.  Decorating an area with colors and the mascot screams “local high school” to your shoppers.  Everything from stuffed animals to jewelry and printed shirts creates the story.  In jewelry, chokers, mascot pendants, and school color beads can be offered separately so customer can create their own high school jewelry.  School color bracelets are also available to fit into the theme.  If mascot pendants aren’t available, simply substitute a sports pendant like a football.  That with the school color beads will tell the story.  Sounds like a lot of creativity and work?  Well, there are some easier choices that can add other niche markets. 

 MARDI GRAS JEWELRY, GIFTS, AND PARTY ITEMS

In some areas, Mardi Gras is huge and this market belongs almost entirely to small business.   If “The Greatest Free Show on Earth” is celebrated in your area, take advantage of the enormous retail business done in Mardi Gras items while other parts of the country are recovering from Christmas.  If not, you be the shop that introduces this fun celebration to your area. 

 What makes up an irresistible Mardi Gras selection for retailers?  Of course, beads must be included—not cheap throw beads, but specialty beads that consumers will pay money for.  Hand-strung Mardi Gras beads in nice designs and Mardi Gras colors of purple, gold, and green have to be part of the selection. But other colors are often used in beads that have a theme, like crawfish boil, jesters, peppers, seafood, oysters on the half shell, and more. 

 Novelty hats are also an almost necessary party item.  Purple, gold, and green novelty hats again do well for Mardi Gras—headwear like jester hats, sequin tiaras, mad hatters, or crowns.  But any crazy hat will be popular for this super party.  You need a lot of selection, but not a lot of depth.  The market doesn’t end on Ash Wednesday.  Festivals, birthday parties, and sporting events are more opportunities for sales in this fun headwear.    

  Boas are a festive accessory popular with girls—purple, gold, and green for Mardi Gras day, but other colors do very well also.  When buying boas, the fullness is determined by weight and a good weight is 55 to 60 grams. 

 Masks are a major ingredient for Mardi Gras and selection has certainly become more sophisticated over the last few years.  Feather masks, both worn with elastic bands and on a stick to be held, continue to provide more breath-taking designs.  The sequin mask with a spray of feathers to one side is leading seller year after year.  Coque, ostrich, and marabou feathers make a fabulous arrangement in the spray, making these masks extraordinary without being expensive.  

 The rising star in masks is Venetian style masks.  These gorgeous works of art were practically unknown a few years ago and now frequent reality shows, TV, and the movies.  The art of mask making had its own guild in Venus during the Renaissance and the growing popularity of Venetian style masks makes it hard to pass up when stocking your store. 

 Venetian style masks can be affordable with designs like the Arlecchino patchwork patterns of eye masks for men or masks mounted on sticks with lavish ostrich plumes for women. 

 Exceptional styles include the full-face jester masks in Mardi Gras colors as well as butterfly Venetian style masks for women that are breath-taking.  Venetian masks have the history and artistic beauty that will make you proud to include them in your inventory. 

 Whew!  This blog took more time than I expected so we will save two important areas for small business until the next blog—the areas of jewelry for special occasions and seasons plus key niche markets that appeal to a wider audience. 

 Valentines Day—it comes in the dead of winter, the most frigid month of the year, yet it stirs warm feelings for sweethearts and couples. 

A mountain of cards, flowers, and candy are exchanged to show sweethearts and spouses how much they are loved.  Yet small business has to love Valentine’s Day even more with total sales reaching 9.3 billion in 2011 according to an About.com article. 

HOW DID VALENTINES DAY COME ABOUT?

How did it all begin?  The history of Valentines Day is rather confusing.  The name comes from the feast of St. Valentine that falls on February 14; at least it did until the revision of The General Roman Calendar of feast days in 1969.  Prior to that, February 14 was actually the fest day for two St. Valentines—One from Rome and the other from Terni, Italy.    

It’s the one from Rome that is most likely linked to the romantic theme of Valentines Day.  Legend says that Emperor Claudius II cancelled all wedding and engagements in Rome because he felt married men were less likely to serve in the Roman Legion.  St. Valentine secretly married Christian couples and when discovered, was condemned to death by Claudius.  Another legend states he miraculously healed his jailer’s daughter of blindness.  They continued to visit him in prison and before his execution he sent her a note reading, “From your Valentine”. 

A more likely origin of Valentines Day is a belief in Britain and France that birds picked their mates on February 14 and according to The Catholic Encyclopedia this is reflected in Chaucer’s Parliament of Foules that reads:

For this was sent on Seynt Valentyne’s day
Whan every foul cometh ther to choose his mate.

ECONOMIC IMPACT OF VALENTINES DAY

While the origin of Valentines Day is uncertain, there is no question about its importance to small business–Over 1 billion of candy sold, over 190 million cards, and 25% of the annual sales of flower shops.  Best of all, small business is getting a large share of this business. 

What about fashion jewelry and accessory shops?  They have a very important part to play.  Think about it.  Flowers wilt in a week, candy is soon gone, and cards end up in the drawer.  But fashion jewelry provides the gift that lasts.  Gifts that go into the jewelry box will be there as a reminder every time it is opened to retrieve an accessory.  Granted, fashion jewelry will not outpace cards, candy, or flowers for Valentines Day gifts, but it is the great add-on gift that does not perish.  It is the meaningful accessory that stirs feeling every time it is put on.   

POPULAR FASHION JEWELRY FOR VALENTINES DAY GIFTS

What fashion jewelry is most relevant for the occasion?  Every year we see a swell of business in crystal heart brooches, especially brooches with red crystals.  This fashion jewelry speaks for itself as it makes a shimmering statement of love. Four styles share the limelight and all have noticeable size and plenty of glimmer. 

Cupid pins and combinations of cupid and hearts transmit the same feelings with toned down drama.  These cute pins find appeal for all ages. 

Filigree heart lockets are also lifetime keepsakes with a classic design.  The puffy hearts have matching earrings and the quality is superb, crafted by “Best Brand”, a leader in fashion jewelry quality. 

Usually men are shopping for Valentines jewelry for their sweethearts or wives and often they are not comfortable with buying Valentines jewelry and need your help.  The right item depends of the receiver’s personality and age.  Many younger women prefer the look of sterling silver in bracelets or earrings.  Again “Best Brand” does an excellent job in this area.  Many of his creations are dimensionally stamped from a thin sheet of steel, sealed, plated silver, and polished for a finished product that even a jeweler can mistake for sterling.  Why?  Because this quality manufacturer has taken the time to craft fashion jewelry identical to the steps taken for fine jewelry. 

A final consideration for Valentines jewelry is rhinestone.  Rhinestone heart necklaces see a real boost of sales in February.  Sliding on a chain, these rhinestone hearts are easy to wear with outfits throughout the year and the recipient will never forget where it came from. 

WHO ARE VALENTINES BOUGHT FOR?

According to Aboutflowers spouses receive 57% of Valentines gifts, Moms receive 20%, significant others 20%, and friends 9%

So this opens up other areas we maybe haven’t thought about.  Moms have an easy solution.  We can cheat by going to the Mothers Day selection of jewelry and choose hearts specifically made for Mom. Most are again made by “Best Brand” with that same high quality reported above.  Mix some of these in your Valentines Day presentation.  You may have no competition for such specialized Valentines Day jewelry and you know it will always sell for Mothers Day if there is any inventory left. 

For friends, there is a superb gift that is also very practical—sculptured pewter writing pens with a dimensionally raised design that says “Best Friends”.  Sell-through is no problem here either because we are going into a peak wedding season and these make wonderful bridesmaid gifts.       

Add some decorations and display Valentines jewelry and gifts together to tell a story.  Keeps a jump on all special occasions coming up, arranging each one together in a location to tell a story.  Soon shoppers will realize your business is the go-to location for unique special occasion gifts. 

As 2012 rolls out, retailers are looking for every edge to build a successful year, especially if the holiday season was less than spectacular.  One often-overlooked market that has more sales potential than imagined is masks.  I’m sure that will raise some eyebrows of doubt, but this market has been growing quietly under radar for the last few years. 

You have seen them in movies and in reality shows, but probably had little idea how popularity was growing.  Today schools are doing masquerade proms; couples are having Mardi Gras or Venetian weddings; fundraisers are using masks to raise money; and masked balls are growing in popularity. 

When your customers need large quantities, they usually turn to masquerade masks because they get a reasonably good look at very inexpensive price.  One-step up is feather masks—still inexpensive, but exceptional in appearance. 

However, the surprising big winner in today’s market is Venetian style masks.  They have a history that dates back to the Renaissance where the art had its own Guild in Venice.  Masking was common in Venice and eventually got out of hand, causing the Church to step in and limit the time to Carnival, from the Feast of the Epiphany until Mardi Gras Day.

Some designs were popular among the public and others found inspiration in the Commedia dell’arte, the Venetian theatre.  From popular designs comes the Bauta mask and no one can visit Carnival in Venice without seeing this style that was a favorite disguise by the populace of the City.  Accompanied with a cape or hood, the mask not only covered the face, but also muffled the voice to avoid identification of the wearer. 

Mask inspiration also comes from the Commedia dell’arte.  Actually, the original masks used during the Renaissance were made of leather, but his revival of the art in the early 1970s took the characters as inspiration and brought the art to a new level. 

The long nose mask is an example.  The servant characters of the Commedia dell’arte were called Zanni.  This form of theatre is the origin of slapstick.  (The name actually comes from Arlecchino’s sword that had two pieces of wood separated so when he smacked someone with it the wood slapped together making a noise.)  The raw humor associated the length of a Zanni’s nose with how dumb the character was—the longer the nose, the dumber the character.  From this comes the Zanni mask with exaggerated nose, so popular today. 

The leading servant character was Arlecchino often represented by patchwork patterns reflecting his patched clothes.  Arlecchino masks are a favorite for men for masquerade. 

It the US Carnival is most commonly referred to as Mardi Gras.  The full-face jester mask in Mardi Gras colors of purple, gold, and green is a spectacular piece of art that is Venetian inspired and can be worn or used as a wall mask.  The jester hat and collar are shapeable. 

Venetian style masks can also be very elegant.  Venetian style weddings today use masks, often masks on a stick.  The most popular style has ostrich plumes in color combinations of white and silver or white and gold.  This is growing in popularity faster than most people realize. So if you are a bridal shop, don’t overlook the possibilities here.   

Fundraisers and masquerade balls often call for more elaborate Venetian style masks.  The butterfly Venetian style mask is exceptional.  A mesh screen above the top provides the appearance of butterfly wings.  This style is pricier so quantities aren’t large, but the engaging beauty of the design keeps it selling. 

The newest Venetian style mask in the upper end comes individually boxed with dimensionally shaped maple leaves surrounding the eye mask.  Two-tone colors shade for a spectacular effect.  The inspiration of the maple leaves is a mystery, but the beauty sells this work of art. 

Mardi Gras is a month away and it is it huge for mask sales.  Beyond that interest continues all the way to summer with proms, weddings, balls, and fundraisers.  Surprise yourself by trying some masks in your shop.  There is a bigger market than most retailers realize. 

Sales figures for Christmas seem to be mixed, even among the majors.  Black Friday ushered in the shopping season with a bang, but according to an article from Reuters, the final figure for December sales were pretty anemic. 

Well, small business, don’t panic because the next four months belongs to you.  The line up of  occasions and events provides a continual stream of opportunities that don’t end until mid or late May—first Valentine’s Day, then Mardi Gras, proms, weddings, pageant, dance competition, Easter, Mothers Day, spring fashion, hats for church and derby day—and I am sure we left some events out.  The next few blogs are going to highlight the opportunities in all these events for small business. 

MARDI GRAS MERCHANDISE BENEFITS SMALL BUSINESS

 Mardi Gras is an ever expanding celebration that is absolutely huge in some areas.  New Orleans calls it “The Greatest Free Show on Earth”.  It first came to America through the Louisiana territory when Bienville explored the Mississippi in 1699.  On Mardi Gras Day he camped on a point near the mouth of the Mississippi River that is still called Mardi Gras point today.   

 Dating back to the Renaissance, the official beginning of the Mardi Gras season is the Feast of the Epiphany that traditionally falls on January 6.  This closes the Christmas season and opens the Carnival season that continues until Mardi Gras Day, the Tuesday before Ash Wednesday.   

 For retailers in many parts of the country, this is a season they look forward to because the shopping destination for Mardi Gras merchandise is almost exclusively small business.  What do shoppers buy? 

MARDI GRAS JEWELRY

Soon after the season opens, the spirit begins to spread with Mardi Gras music playing on the radio and ladies donning Mardi Gras jewelry—pins, earrings, bracelets, and sometimes necklaces.  But the runaway most popular jewelry item that really spreads the spirit is Mardi Gras pins. 

What are the most popular themes in Mardi Gras pins?  Jesters, masks, comedy and tragedy, and crowns make up the majority of Mardi Gras pins.  Almost always in Mardi Gras colors, this jewelry is important to gift and apparel shops for customers that want to enjoy the spirit as well as those that need favors. 

 MARDI GRAS FAVORS AND SOUVENIRS

Carnival clubs that provide the Mardi Gras parades and completely foot the bill are called “Krewes”.  Many have formal balls before the parades roll.  For many Krewes, favors are part of the celebration.  Small dolls and jester head ornaments and magnets rank among the most popular favors.  The same items do well in gift shops for souvenirs. 

Small dolls normally have glazed ceramic faces and hands and are dressed in jester outfits with sequin or shiny lame’ outfits in the traditional Mardi Gras colors of purple, gold, and green. 

NOTHING OUTSELLS MARDI GRAS BEADS

Imaginative design has catapulted Mardi Gras beads into the forefront of party items over the last decade.  Of course gift shops need exceptional Mardi Gras beads to grab customers’ attention, but even the throws from floats have been moving up in quality.  An article from the New Orleans newspaper a few years ago had a title that tells the story — Throw Me Something Mista and it Better be Good.  

The majority of throw beads come out of a machine already molded on the string.  These are called MOT or molded on twine.  That doesn’t mean they are undesirable—no, large strands of MOT pearls are one of the most sought after beads thrown from a float. 

But it is beads with themes that make up what is called special throws.  These are the beads reserved by riders for someone they know in the crowd.  They are usually hand-strung and also rank as top sellers in gift shops. 

Resin or metallic components in the design create the themes that are endless, but South Louisiana themes like seafood, alligators, New Orleans, coffee and beignets, and oysters on the half shell are right at the top. 

MARDI GRAS MASKS

Long before Mardi Gras came to America, it was a major celebration in Europe.  Masking was a big part of the revelry then as it is today.  Venice is famous for its Carnival masks and that subject will be covered in the next blog.  But today masks are major part of the celebration no matter where Mardi Gras is enjoyed.  And they can be extraordinary without being expensive. 

Mardi Gras feather masks have wholesale prices well under $5 and retail under $10 so everyone can enjoy them and take them home as souvenirs.  One design–a sequin mask with a spray of extraordinary feathers to one side tops the category year after year.  The masks have Mardi Gras colors and come with elastic bands to wear or sticks to hold.  Nearly every gift shop in the French Quarter of New Orleans will have masks as well as beads so bring the spirit to your area by including masks and treating customers to New Orleans Mardi Gras spirit. 

 NOVELTY HATS FRO MARDI GRAS

There’s a lot of good-spirited craziness that goes with Mardi Gras and novelty hats give revelers the opportunity to express it.  What do you need in party hats?  First, everything in Mardi Gras colors fits in.  There are spike hats, dragon hats, jester hats, and mad hatters with dangling fringe.  Fro the girls, there are sequin tiaras in Mardi Gras colors, beaded or tinsel wigs, and headbands with crowns.  Actually, anything in crowns works for Mardi Gras novelty hats.  Let your customers get a little crazy by including a variety of Mardi Gras novelty hats and you can be sure they will be trying them on and drawing a crowd in your shop. 

FEATHER BOAS

Feather boas are simply irresistible for the ladies enjoying the celebration.  And boas in Mardi Gras colors will be at the top of the list.  This is a must for a festive atmosphere.  Since Mardi Gras only comes once a year, throw in some boas and let the party roll.

Cash in on Mardi Gras!  It’s a small business bonanza and it’s a lot of fun.

Where has the year gone?  New Year’s Eve just passed, marking the end of 2011.  Most people don’t miss this opportunity for a celebration, whether a romantic evening out or the fun of a masquerade party.  And masquerade parties have been accelerating in popularity thanks to all the innovations in masks over the last few years. 

Think about it.  Probably less than 5 years ago most people had no clue what a Venetian mask was.  Now they are the rave, popping up in movies and reality shows.  The driving force of any trend, including the rising popularity of masks, is innovation.  Innovations in the art of Venetian mask are coming so quickly, it is breath-taking.  

INNOVATIONS IN VENETIAN STYLE MASKS

New on the mask scene are maple leaf Venetian masks—eye masks surrounded with dimensionally shaped maple leaves, creating a stunning work of art.  Most Venetian masks find roots in the Italian comedy introduced during the Renaissance in Venice, but the origin of these gorgeous masks doesn’t fit any of the Commedia ‘dell Arte characters. So inspiration is a mystery, but that doesn’t take away from stunning attractiveness of the masks that have several color choices.  They come individually boxed with clear plastic tops so retailers can easily display the Venetian style masks. 

Filigree cutouts are another new innovation in Venetian style masks.  One exciting design has a filigree butterfly that appears to flutter above an eye mask.  Two-tone color provides variety with one color, usually metallic, shading to another color while scrollwork adds artistic beauty.  Best of all, the wholesale price of these gorgeous masks lets shopkeepers pass on a bargain to their customers.  

Full face masks, especially jesters with attached jester hats and collars, just keep getting more spectacular every season.  The masks are loaded with personality, using dimensionally shaped faces and brocade fabric on the shapeable hat and collar.  A low wholesale price will help you with sell-through on these stunning full-face jester masks. 

Mardi Gras is February 21 this year so we don’t want to ignore full-face Mardi Gras jester masks.   What a striking statement these masks make as wall hangings or masks to wear.  Sculptured features provide dimensionally raised design in paper mache’ that is the renowned medium for Venetian mask art.  A ribbon loop I the center lets the jester face hang as a wall mask and ribbons on each side tie to hold the face in place as a full-face mask to wear.  This is not the cheapest Mardi Gras mask, but certainly one of the most stunning. 

MASQUERADE MASKS ALSO ENJOY FRESH DESIGN

Is there any mask more widely known than the domino mask?  This is the familiar Lone Ranger mask and the one seen on burglars in cartoons.  Inexpensive and understated, these masks are a favorite for men and now have a new design with a beaded veil that will provide a style for women. 

Cat faces and butterflies offer more masquerade masks for ladies in a variety of colors.  From black cats to leopards, these face masks with nylon whiskers provide masquerade wear at low cost that gives you an option for your customers throwing parties that need a large quantity at affordable prices.

The butterfly masks also catch attention with five different color combinations.  Lots of sparkle and eye-catching pop with these masks that are oh so affordable. 

CLASSIC FEATHER MASKS

A sequin mask wit a spray of feathers to one side is the feather mask that ends up in the top seller list every year.  This look is just so good, nothing seems able to replace it so the style remerges as the number one selling feather mask year after year.  It is available on a stick or with elastic bands to wear.  Color choices let the masks match outfits for events like Sweet Sixteens or Quinceaneras—one more big boost for these stunning masks. 

Well, New Year’s Eve is only the beginning of the line up of fun events coming over the next few months.  The Greatest Free Show on Earth—Mardi Gras–is fast approaching and masks are certainly big for this event.  So stock some masks in your shop now and surprise yourself with all the interest they draw and how well this item sells.

CONSUMERS TRUST SMALL BUSINESS FOR HOLIDAY & FORMAL JEWELRY

Did you notice the emphasis this year on supporting small business in Christmas shopping?  Conventional wisdom says this is smart because small business is the backbone of the American economy.  But how much does putting out the message help the Christmas season for small fashion businesses, especially when they are always competing with big box companies? 

A far more effective way to draw consumers to small business is offering the fashion accessories that shoppers trust small retailers for far more than they trust the majors. We discovered 12 categories that do just that and covered the first nine in the last two blogs.  Now let’s look at the last three, which are in the holiday or the formal jewelry and accessories area. 

10) HOLIDAY JEWELRY—RHINESTONE SETS

 Restaurants, clubs, and ballrooms offer special dining and entertainment every New Year’s Eve.  This gives couples the opportunity to dress up and enjoy a romantic evening out.  Women go shopping for the knockout apparel that will turn heads that night and plenty of retailers will be competing for the sales.  But accessorizing the dresses is left mainly to small business because they have the abundant options to make the perfect match for the outfit. 

Rhinestone necklace sets will be high on the shopping list for these consumers.  Nothing seems more traditional than rhinestone for New Year’s Eve, but most major retailers have a very limited selection.   It’s small business that has showcases of options because they specialize in the glitzy look all year.  Yes, when New Year’s Eve is gone for another year, small business will have the glamorous jewelry for proms, bridal, pageant, and balls while the majors are changing their showcases to a casual look.

Small retailers offer the traditional looks that many women are comfortable with as well as the edgy designs that are rising in fashion.  This season look for the glamorous looks in rhinestone that you would expect in the diamond jewels of royalty.  Designs fit for a queen, grace the neck with lavish crystals surrounded by smaller rhinestones. This tasteful extravagance is the ballroom look for this New Years Eve. 

When we think of rhinestone jewelry, sets crafted from rhinestone chain come to mind.  This look actually never existed before World War II because the machine to produce the rhinestone chain hadn’t been invented yet.  Before that, rhinestone jewelry was limited to handset stones that we call crystal jewelry today.  And these crystal sets are back in a big way because of the fashion trend of statement necklaces.  This has carried over into formal jewelry and crystal necklace sets deliver with larger stones and bold statements. 

With bracelets so big in trends, we can’t overlook crystal bracelets that add a glamorous accessory to the wrist.  Crystals again provide bold, sparkling designs that will stand out for holiday wear—everything from bracelets inspired by Art Deco to the gorgeous look of The Golden Age of Costume Jewelry.  This really adds excitement to a New Year’s Eve ensemble and where do you find it—at the small retailer locations that not only have the wide selection, but provide personal service in putting together the perfect look. 

11) GLITZY EARRINGS FOR THE HOLIDAYS

 Not every holiday dress is going to accommodate a necklace set and this is where earrings really step up to add the glamour.  Options abound in glitzy earrings.  Remember the chandeliers from a few years ago?  Well they never went away.  New designs deliver all the sparkle a girl could want with crystals and motion glimmering with every move.

If shoppers prefer something more traditional, the small retailers specializing in formal jewelry will have a host of rhinestone earrings from conservative size to shoulder duster length.  Cascades, buttons, hoops, linear earrings, colored rhinestones—where else can you find this selection?  And where else can shoppers get personal service that will have you leaving satisfied with accessories that really set off an outfit. 

Don’t overlook crystal earrings.  Small businesses have plenty of options for every hair do and outfit.  Crystal earrings can have the very feminine look of filigree settings as well as dramatic buttons, bold drops, or the elegance of glimmering crystals in silver plating with black epoxy contrast—so stunning for New Year’s Eve.  To find all these options, shoppers must visit small retailers with a focus on formal jewelry because the big box stores seldom have the variety or the personal service.    

12) BROOCHES

 If we think back a few years, it seems like there was a new trendy fashion item every Christmas.  In 2004 it was initials on accessories, in 2005 sequin handbags, and in 2006 crystal brooches.  That year the showcases of department stores sparkled with brooches.  Each item faded away except the crystal brooches that seem to be here to stay. 

But even crystal brooches faded away in the department store showcases while demand continued.  The gorgeous designs draw a lot of inspiration from the first half of the twentieth century—Art Nuevo, Art Deco, and designs from The Golden Age of Costume Jewelry.  Brooches make wonderful Christmas gifts for Mom, for office gift exchanges, and for other special occasions like bridesmaid gifts.  But the only reliable supplier is small businesses specializing in glitzy and formal jewelry. 

 Demand is high.  According to Google, there are 450,000 searches for per month for brooches and another 673,000 searches for brooch.  That means customers are looking for brooches and this is a wonderful opportunity for small business. 

A high number of major businesses started as small businesses.  Popeye’s Fried Chicken began with one chicken house in Arabi, La.  Ugg boots took hold in the US when the Australian, Brian Smith, sold them to surfers in California.  This is a small sampling of the importance of small business to the US economy.   In addition to being the incubator for larger businesses, small business hires nearly half the US workers and is the engine for employment with 65% of new hires. 

So survival of small business is important.  Retailers can zero in on areas of fashion where consumers trust them more than they trust the big box companies and consumers need to keep small business in mind when shopping.

In the fast pace of the Christmas buying season, how is small business doing compared to the majors.  According to the US Small Business Administration, nearly half the employment in the US and 65% of new hiring comes from small business so their survival is vital to the American economy.  There is a push this year to make consumers aware of supporting small business in their Christmas shopping.  But ask someone if that reflects in their buying pattern, and most will embarrassingly say no.

If that isn’t working, something is.  There are a number of items that consumers simply trust small business for over the majors when shopping.  In fashion accessories we covered headwear and accessories in Part I and now let’s move forward with fashion jewelry. 

5) STATEMENT NECKLACES

If there is anything radically different on the fashion scene in jewelry this year it would be statement necklaces.  These brash works in metal strutted the runways of fashion shows and stunned readers on the covers of fashion magazines. But they are just a little too edgy for department stores and most of the majors. 

These retailers like more toned-down style with the classy look often inspired by The Golden Age of Costume Jewelry.  The Golden Age began in the 1930s during The Great Depression and extended through the 1960s with the most creative houses in costume jewelry delivering elegant works.      

But glamorous jewelry didn’t stand unopposed in that era.  A rebellious statement in jewelry countered these fabulous creations with hand-made works, mostly in metals, that expressed art with primitive designs. A look back on this medium collects the works into a category called Mid-Century Modern. No doubt, this had to be some of the inspiration going into the bold statement necklaces created in metals dominating high fashion this fall and winter. 

Now where do fashion forward consumers find this look when shopping for themselves or others this Christmas?  Certainly not in an upscale department store!  No, only small business provides the high fashion look that has been dominating the runways.  So when it comes to forward fashion and edgy designs, consumers know small business is the only answer. 

6) QUALITY CHRISTMAS JEWELRY

Looking back twenty years in the jewelry industry, Providence, Rhode Island was the center of American jewelry manufacturing. Many businesses were cottage industries that specialized in aspect of production—linking, carding, soldering, casting, plating.  But competition from China with lower prices and gradually improving quality dismantled the American industry piece by piece. 

Then an economic slowdown caused Chinese manufacturers, importers, and major retailers to be extremely cautious.  Seasonal jewelry was a risk because sell through had to occur in a short period of time. So the 2011 Christmas season is woefully short of quality Christmas jewelry that is traditionally part of the holiday spirit.  Consumers wear it to work, while shopping, and to family gatherings.  It’s as much of Christmas as stockings hanging from the mantle.  But with short supply, where do shoppers find this quality Christmas jewelry that delighted everyone in years past? 

Small retailers are suddenly the go-to source for classy Christmas jewelry.  They do not need a massive inventory to satisfy their clientele and they have an uncanny instinct to find resources.

When consumers want to express the holiday spirit with charm bracelets that have enameled charms in Christmas colors or quality glass bracelets with lampwork beads, most likely the only source is the small retailer. 

Classy resin pins in creative designs make wonderful stocking stuffers as well as accent pieces to spread holiday cheer, but this Christmas they may be hard to find outside of small business. 

Pendants and earrings stamped from a thin sheet of metal with art and personality that is irresistible—you guessed it—only small business.  “Best Brand” is the creator of these works of art and this line of fashion jewelry is so labor intense that it is simply impossible to supply the high quantities the majors would want.  Each piece goes through stamping, plating, polishing, and often enameling for color.   The finished product makes any consumer proud to give it as a Christmas gift, but this exceptional jewelry will only be found at small retailers. 

7) PENDANTS AND EARRINGS

Actually, Christmas jewelry is only the tip of the iceberg for “Best Brand”.  Their selection of pendants and matching earrings covers nearly every look in fashion plus endless themes.  The workmanship is so fine that the company proudly has its name impressed on the back of each piece.  And we are equally as proud to distribute the line, which we know from sales records goes exclusively to small business. 

Just look through the pendant line and you will find something for nearly every event or location.  And most pendants have matching earrings.  On our site an items number is preceded by PD for pendants and FS for earrings.  To find a matching earring simply change the PD to FS and put the code in the search box. 

Most businesses buying this line follow a theme.  It could be sea life for beach locations, horse and Southwest themes for a western store, motorcycles for a bike shop, baseball for little league fundraisers, and the list goes on.  So where do consumers find this exceptional line of fashion jewelry—only at small retail locations. 

8 ) LOCAL THEMES AND NICHE MARKETS

This brings us to another excusive of small business–local themes and niche markets.  No national retailer will understand local interests as well as the small businesses that live and operate in the area.  What a huge advantage this gives to the small retailer! 

We are located in South Louisiana.   If you watch Swamp People, you get a glimpse of a piece of our culture—Cajun music, crawfish boils, seafood, and the home of seasonings and hot sauces.  The themes in jewelry that goes to the heart of locals is not found in major retailers.  No, it is small business and often local artists.  The same is true in every locale. 

Even sports from local high schools that everyone has, to avid fans of college teams provides opportunity for small business.  The LSU vs. Alabama game was billed the game of the century.  Licensed jewelry for both teams is found on our web site and small businesses certainly have a market for it with all the dedicated fans these two teams have.  

Now back to the local high schools.  Small business can rally capitalize on this theme because no manufacturer can afford to produce a line for such a small market.  Begin with school colors.  Glass bracelets on the site provide a variety of two-tone color and most likely your colors are there.  Next use the search to find your mascot in pendants and earrings.  If it isn’t there, choose pendants for the sport such as football related pendants and earrings.  These slide on chokers found under fashion jewelry.  To really make the jewelry pop for your high school add school color. Pick beads in the right color from loose beads on the menu.  These beads have a 4mm opening so they can slide on many chokers so make sure some of your chokers will accommodate the beads.  Group all the pieces together in your shop to tell a story and sell individually so your customers can build their own look. 

This the advantage small fashion retailers have that helps them overcome the heavy hitters in the majors. 

9) GEMSTONE JEWELRY

The flight to quality in fashion jewelry dates back to the shocking tragedy on September 11, 2001.  Suddenly family, prayer, and heroism trumped bling that was the trend of the day.  Fashion jewelry went through a worldwide search for art and materials that were classic.

Crystal, Murano style glass, lampwork beads, and gemstone jewelry were some of the mediums that captured that attention of retail customers.   But gemstone jewelry continues while interest in other forms of fashion jewelry receded. Department stores still grace their showcases with a few selections of semi precious jewelry, but small business is where consumers will find the extensive selection. 

Yes, demand remains high because semi precious jewelry has intrinsic value and unique design that synthetics can’t duplicate.  Department stores left lots of change on the table by moving on.  Every time I am in a department store, I look at their showcases.  Season after season turquoise and coral return.  In addition, each season has at least one other semi precious stone included in fashion jewelry–amethyst was a recent example.  But demand is exceeding this limited supply and customers that have grown to love the intrinsic beauty of semi precious jewelry know that the only place to really find selection is in a small retail location.      

The blog that follows will wrap up the fashion accessories where small business excels with a look at the formal side of jewelry and accessories.

Black Friday sales were up a whopping 6.6% according to a Bloomberg article—a shocking surprise that sent the stock market up over 300 points.  The article, basing its results on ShopperTrak data, reports this is the biggest increase ever.  The figures are relating the success of major retailers, but what is happening with small business? 

This year we have seen a push to make consumers aware of supporting small business in their Christmas shopping.  While this will provide some help, the most important draw small fashion businesses have over the majors is in retail areas that they own—areas where consumers trust small business far more than the majors. 

This blog and the following two will cover twelve categories of fashion jewelry and accessories in which small business excels. 

1) LADIES DRESS HATS

First, consider dress hats, especially church hats.  How rare it is to find an excellent selection of dress hats suitable for church in any of the majors. Church ladies simply do not trust department stores or the majors for headwear that they are so particular about.  Furthermore, they don’t want to see anyone else on Sunday morning wearing the same hat they have.  Small business owns this fashion category. 

Small retailers not only have the selection with variety and styles to please these ladies every season, but they are also there with personal service to help the client pick the perfect headwear for a suit or Sunday dress. 

Is this important for Christmas?  Absolutely!  This is a meaningful gift for Mom if she wears hats to church on Sunday.  These gifts are usually winter dress hats created in felt.  Design ranges from simplicity to extravagant for the many personalities the headwear must please.  Small businesses specializing in dress hats will have the color and style assortment that leaves the scanty selection of department stores and majors far behind.  

2) NEW HEADWEAR FADS

Fads in headwear can nearly pop up over night.  As we headed into winter, animal hats suddenly were the rage.  Almost out of nowhere, nearly everyone from youth to adults fell in love with the cute designs in animal hats.  They came mainly in two styles—knit and plush.  Knit animal hats had faces of cats, pandas, koala bears and more weaved into the winter hats with buttons often used for eyes and noses.  

The other style is like the plush of stuffed animals.  These cuddly animal hats come in bears, wolves, moose, pandas, and more.  This is a great boon for small business because they can react almost instantly.   The majors placed their orders for winter goods months ago and have scheduled deliveries.  Anyone that wants these trendy new hats will have to shop small business. Yes, and plenty of people will be looking for it for Christmas gifts considering how fast and strong this trend popped up.  This is one example of how small business can take advantage of fads that suddenly appear.  They have the jump on the majors.    

3) SCARVES

Scarves can really make a fashion statement when added to an outfit.  However, selecting the right one and how to wear it is an art in itself.  Think of the last time you were in a department store or major retail location.  How hard was it to find a clerk?  Scarves are retuning as an important fashion statement, but retailing them takes a personal touch. 

First of all, the choices can be overwhelming for a consumer.  One style that seems to be timeless in scarves is the polyester oblongs that have a light and airy look and feel of silk.  Available in solids, prints, or themes, these scarves can make an outstanding addition to an ensemble, but the shoppers often need help in making choices.  That’s where the personal service of small business becomes essential.   

Another type of scarf that has enjoyed overwhelming popularity in recent years is pashminas.  The feel is very soft because pashminas are weaved with the undercoat of pashminas goats.  The first herds resided high in the Himalayas, but herds were successfully raised in Mongolia, which is where the wool comes from for Chinese pashminas. 

Originally, the pashminas came in an array of solid colors, but they soon evolved into prints which really have that exotic look of far away lands.  These are definitely boutique-type accessories with a high fashion look.  Yet they are very affordable.

But choosing, coordinating, and how to wear the scarves usually takes some personal service, and how can you get that in a department store when you can’t even find a clerk? Scarves make wonderful Christmas gifts and we can chalk this accessory up as a winner for small business. 

4) SCARF, HAT, GLOVE SETS

These ready-to-go gift sets were originally a darling of department stores, but these major retailers seem to have a short attention span.  The popularity continued long after the department stores dropped out of the game.  Small business can offer more variety, restock faster, and offer the gift sets cheaper than the department stores that seem to have abandoned this accessory. 

How can you be cheaper than the majors with their huge buying power?  Walk into one of those gorgeous retail locations with oodles of square footage in the high rent district.  How would you like to have their overhead?  While most small business doesn’t have that kind of foot traffic, their overhead is not sending them to the poorhouse. 

Now what is new in these ready-made gifts this year?  First there are some sets for men that include a scarf and stocking cap and are super warm. This is practical gifts that you can retail below $15 for your customers that need a gift for friends, office parties, or relatives. 

Also, a cute new set for women has a heavy cable knit scarf with matching knit cap decorated with knit flowers on one side.  Available in a variety of fashion colors, these instant gifts will sell themselves.

Other choices have faux fur trimmed fleece hat, scarf, and glove sets or the same combination in herringbone.  More are still coming so you can keep adding variety to your selection to please customers. 

Part II will follow shortly with a look at how small business can excel in fashion jewelry.

Accessories Magazine reviews trends shaping fashion jewelry and accessories each season based on the fashion shows that preview the coming season.  Major fashion stories result from sorting all the tangents of designers crossing the runways.  The last blog covered the first two for fall and this blog covers the next two—a dual that seems to contradict each other as fashion statements.  Accessories Magazine’s Survival Mode borders on grunge while Ice Queen has a classy majestic look.     

ARCTIC SURVIVAL TREND

As different as the trends seem, both find inspiration in the dominant mood of the times—economic uncertainty.  Survival mode finds an obvious connection.  First impression is the rugged attire of inhabitants of the arctic tundra.  Earth tone colors with patches of fur deliver a nomadic appearance.  Inspiration is global with Scandinavian prints, African crafts, English tweeds, and Alpine flairs all contributing. 

Jewelry combines natural materials with metals for a close-to-earth feeling.  Wood and raw gemstones blended with metals create fashion jewelry that delivers the story.  Look for burnished metals in cuffs and bangles as well as braided leather in jewelry. 

Trapper hats are a natural fit for these trends well as any headwear that is fur trimmed.  Other hats include wide brim wool fedoras, crocheted caps, and wool buckets. 

WINTER WHITE FASHION TREND MAKES LUXURIOUS STATEMENT

If the previous trend reflects a rugged response to economic times, this fashion story that Accessories Magazine calls Ice Queen uses a fantasy world to cope with financial stress.  Opulence abounds in this trend characterized by shades of opal and winter white.   Fur and cashmere add to the extravagance of the fantasy. 

Fashion jewelry accessorizes the look with iridescent crystals, unconventional designs of pearls, and opalescent Lucite.  Rhinestone or crystal mixed with frosted beads and pearls as bracelets or necklace sets.  Jewelry with shades white, cream, and ivory fit into this theme with wintery snow and ice inspiration. 

Headwear accessories include bobby pins with enameled flowers, lace and crocheted headbands or caps, and headwear with sequins, especially iridescent sequins.  Winter white in nearly any hat can accompany the look. 

This fashion story is easy to accessorize because the jewelry that delivers the sparkle for the trend also provides holiday jewelry that will soon be in demand.  Actually, fashion jewelry in crystals, rhinestone, and faux pearls should have a permanent location in shops because of the endless line up of events that call for dressy accessories. 

The following blog includes the fashion story for December delivery as well as holiday trends

The runways for every new season provide an abundance of fresh designs that go in endless directions.  But each season, Accessories Magazine makes sense of it all by taking thousands of photos and narrowing down the stand outs for jewelry and accessories to five fashion stories.  This blog covers the first two stories with the rest following during the week. 

THE SIXTIES REINVENTED IN JEWELRY AND ACCESSORIES

 The first fashion story Accessories Magazine calls Mod Remix.  Think sixties here with a clean look and innocence that sometimes gets eclipsed by hippie movements and civil disobedience later in the decade.  However, the sixties open with Jackie Kennedy as First Lady, the picture of elegance.  Camelot opens on Broadway.  Mary Poppins, The Sound of Music, as well as a fist full of classic westerns are playing on the silver screen.  Beach party movies were playing for the teens and even Elvis Presley gets into the act. 

This was the era of Lucite and plastic colored bangles and earrings and they are back with this fall fashion trend.  Color continues with enameled pins as well as enameled pendants and cuff bracelets—some matching the color blocking of the apparel.  Apparel for the trend likes sleek silhouettes and clean shapes. Sunglasses get smaller with cateye or oval lenses in plastic frames.  Color is here also. 

The use of geometric shapes in jewelry brings back oversized earrings whether elongated cone drops with color or plated metal in geometrics.  Geometrics also extend to neckwear with bib necklaces that sometimes incorporate resins. 

And what are sixties trends without patent leather—patent leather in shoes, boots, bags, even hair accessories.  Patent bucket hats also fit in.  The bags are structured often with contrasting handles or piping.  Mod Remix is the fun story for fall trends.   

THE AUSTERE TAILORED TREND

A continuing debate ponders the question of what inspires fashion trends.  One solution offered is zeitgeist—the mood that defines that point of time.  It is hard to argue against the zeitgeist of this era being economic insecurity.  And that theme spills over into the next fashion trend that Accessories Magazine calls Tailor Made, making a strong argument for the zeitgeist theory. 

The austere look Tailor Made uses shades from camel to brown as well as grey, reflecting the tough times.  It is a “no frills” style inspired by menswear with little touches to keep it feminine.  What does that mean?  Well, accessorizing a double-breasted suit coat drops the tie and replaces it with a bow for neckwear, adding a feminine element.  Overall, the look is pragmatic and austere.  How do you accessorize it?

Designers showed the trend with necklaces in gunmetal plating using oversized links and chain designs.  Some necklaces have heavy design with metal bolts and large beading.  Actually, the bold statement necklaces that all over the runway and fashion magazines fit at least three of the trend stories so give them serious thought for fall jewelry. 

Necklaces also use bold pearl and meal combinations.  Over-sized beads are part of the look and sometimes large glass components, especially in smoke.  Metal cuffs and link bracelets accessorize the wrist. 

Headwear uses high crown fedoras, fifties fedoras, felt boaters.  The puffy ivy caps as seen in the 1974 film, The Great Gatsby, fit this theme. 

Next blog continues the fashion stories tht make up the major trends of the fall and winter season.